Ceat introducing European truck tyre range
Indian manufacturer Ceat Limited intends to launch a range of truck radial tyres in Europe during the first half of this year. Speaking during an earnings call yesterday, managing director Anant Goenka said the range would arrive in “four to six months’ time” and further push the strong growth the company is already experiencing in the region. The line-up would be similarly positioned to the “Korean players” in the market, he added.
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Mahle: German production now CO2 neutral
Automotive supplier Mahle reports achieving CO2 neutrality at its production sites in Germany during the course of last year. This represents an important step in the plan to achieve company-wide CO2 neutral production by 2040. The company also aims to annually increase the use of self-generated power from renewable sources.
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Continental: South Africa agricultural tyre plant closed in 2019
Following reports that Continental had sold its South Africa agricultural tyre production assets, company representatives have confirmed that the plant ceased operation a little more than two years ago.
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Nynas reorganisation closed
Nynas has settled payments to trade creditors with claims remaining, after receiving an initial payment of 100,000 Swedish krone each following the completion of Nynas’s company reorganisation in January 2021. According to a statement published by the speciality oil refiner and supplier on 19 January 2021, those actions are “in accordance with the composition agreement between all creditors and as decided by the District Court of Södertörn”.
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Pirelli presents 2022 motorsport plans
Technology, sustainability and support for young talent – Pirelli states that these are the three cornerstones of its 2022 motorsport campaign. During a live-streamed press conference hosted by Mario Isola, the tyre maker’s head of motorsport, supported by rally activity manager Terenzio Testoni and GT circuit activity manager Matteo Braga, Pirelli set out its plans and priorities for the year.
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Millimetre precision: Continental algorithm-based tread monitoring “a new benchmark”
A pilot project that Continental began with Share Now in late 2020 is progressing into a broader partnership that will see the car sharing firm’s Danish vehicle fleet fitted with Continental AllSeasonContact tyres and monitored under a Conti360° Solutions contract. The partnership includes new innovations, including algorithm-based, real-time tread depth monitoring.
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Continental sells South Africa agricultural and industrial tyre factory assets
Continental Tyre South Africa has sold the manufacturing assets it used to make industrial and agricultural tyres in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Prior to the sale, Continental manufactured bias-ply and radial agricultural tyres at the Port Elizabeth location. Continental’s ongoing production operations, such as its passenger car and light truck lines, are not affected by the news.
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Sumitomo-run Blackcircles ZA brings its brand of online tyre retail to South Africa
In August 2021, the people behind Blackcircles ZA announced that the company would tap into “the enormous growth of e-commerce in the country” by launching Blackcircles.co.za in South Africa. Four months later at the end of 2021, the site went live.
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Focus on Europe: Delticom sells North American business
On 14 January, Delticom AG signed a contract for the sale of its majority shareholding in Delticom North America Inc. with Tire Capital LLC. The Hannover, Germany-based online tyre company expects to receive between US$7.5 million and $8 million for its 75 per cent stake in the US subsidiary, the sales price being subject to customary market adjustment mechanisms. Delticom anticipates a finalisation of the contract in the second half of February.
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WISAMO: Ship to test Michelin’s inflatable sail
If you weren’t aware that Michelin has developed a system of sails for larger boats and ships, then you’re not alone. But it has indeed, and presented an automated, telescopic, inflatable wing sail system that can be fitted on both merchant ships and pleasure craft at the 2021 Movin’On event. The Wing Sail Mobility (WISAMO) system will soon be installed on a ConRo vessel sailing between Spain and the UK.
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Autocentres continue to drive Halfords sales post National Tyres purchase
Halfords Group plc has reported strong group sales up 10.4 per cent like-for-like over two years driven by “an outstanding Autocentres performance through the third quarter 2021 MOT peak.” Indeed, ‘Motoring services’ now account for 70 per cent of sales due to the combination of Autocentres growth and the recent National Tyres purchase. Not only do these movements reflect Halfords’ efforts to lead the tyre retail/motoring services market, but represent steps towards the creation of motoring retail “fusion towns.
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Michelin preparing to drive on the Moon
One giant leap for Michelin. The French tyre maker has taken on the challenge to develop an airless tyre to equip the future Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV). It is working on this project in conjunction with the team formed by Northrop Grumman within the framework of a tender from NASA last November. The aim for the Michelin R&D teams is to make a tyre capable of resisting the extreme conditions at the lunar pole in order to explore the lunar surface and allow a sustainable presence on the Moon in 2025, and ultimately on Mars.
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Kwik-Fit owner ETEL set for FY22 break-even after FY21 loss
Itochu’s European Tyre Enterprises Ltd (ETEL) business, which owns Kwik-Fit, Stapleton’s and now Murfitts Industries, posted a loss of 3.6 billion yen (£22.97 million; 27.54 million euros; US$31.55 million) for the financial year ended 31 March 2021. According to Itochu’s annual report, which was published on 17 December 2021, ETEL will return to break-even in full-year 2022 results.
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Continental reorganises Public Affairs Department
Continental is consolidating its public affairs and external affairs activities under its Group Public Affairs department. Dr Thorsten Burger (43), previously head of external affairs, has become the new department’s head, also overseeing Conti’s Berlin political office.
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Itochu: Murfitts Industries acquisition about sustainability and vertical integration
When Kwik-Fit and Stapleton’s owner ETEL announced the recent acquisition of UK tyre recycling specialist Murfitts Industries on 20 December 2021, ETEL’s owner – the Japanese Itochu Group – also shared details of its rationale for the takeover.
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